The earliest references, such as the English "book of dogs", written by J. Caius in 1576, do not specifically mention a bulldog, suggesting that the bulldog as a breed had not made its appearance yet. However, the description made by Dr. Caius of the "Mastive" or "Bandogge" as a vast, huge, stubborn, ugly and eager
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dog, of a heavy and burdenous body, serviceable to "bait and take the bull by the ear", implies that that a similar dog did exist.